"Given this sudden accident, this trial is hereby adjourned..."
Minister Scrimgeour's raspy voice echoed through the hall. He forced his tone to remain steady, desperately trying to maintain a facade of calm while still plotting a delay.
"Ethan Vincent will remain in the custody of the Ministry of Magic for the time being, awaiting the next—"
Just then, an old but sharp, authoritative voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
"Shut your mouth! I will not allow you to pass another unjust judgment on that boy!"
The crowd turned their heads in astonishment.
A grandmotherly figure, wearing an exaggerated vulture-topped hat and dressed in quaint yet imposing robes, marched through the entrance with her head held high. Those who recognized her identity felt a flicker of fear, instinctively averting their gaze, not daring to meet her eyes.
Tap.
Her short boots stepped heavily in front of Minister Scrimgeour. Looking at her aged but still piercingly bright eyes, Scrimgeour—who had been maintaining a stiff, frozen expression—finally cracked.
"Mrs. Longbottom?" he blurted out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Augusta Longbottom. As the elder of war heroes, her name was legendary in the wizarding world. Known for her unyielding, domineering personality and a level of magical prowess that rivaled any Auror, her reputation preceded her everywhere. No one in their right mind would choose to cross an old lady with such a formidable "buff" stack.
Mrs. Longbottom tilted her chin up, looking down coldly at the Minister. Her gaze flickered briefly over to Ethan, her expression softening for a fraction of a second before she spoke.
"I am here to tell you that this trial against this innocent young man is a total farce! it only serves to prove your incompetence as Minister! You are muddle-headed, unable to distinguish who the real enemy is!"
Minister Scrimgeour: "..."
Being scolded so bluntly right out of the gate left him truly "muddle-headed." Even his normally iron-clad heart couldn't help but feel a twinge of grievance.
Me? What did I do?
This kid blew up Gringotts and Azkaban, and he's suspected of being connected to the wizarding world's rising Dark Lord, "Mr. Lamp." What's wrong with me putting him on trial?! Why does everyone make it seem like I'm the one who's guilty?!
Scrimgeour's mouth twitched, his entire demeanor drooping into a state of visible exhaustion.
Seeing this, Mrs. Longbottom let out a cold snort, completely unmoved. "Still haven't woken up? Then let me show you exactly what kind of miracle that child can achieve!"
With that, she looked back. Her sharp gaze turned tender as it landed on the doorway.
She called out loudly, "Neville! Bring your parents in. Let them see for themselves what a real miracle looks like!"
As those words fell, everyone—including Minister Scrimgeour—froze in shock.
"Neville's parents?" Sirius asked, puzzled. "Aren't they... weren't they driven mad by Death Eaters? Why bring them here?"
But Lupin, who had already personally witnessed what an "Ethan Miracle" looked like, felt a possibility spark in his mind. His eyes began to light up. Staring fixedly at the door, he murmured, "Perhaps what she wants us to see... are the Longbottoms with their reason and sanity restored!"
Under the watchful eyes of the entire court, two figures slowly emerged from the hallway.
The moment they entered everyone's field of vision, the courtroom was filled with the sound of collective gasps.
Ethan's cobalt-blue eyes watched the two newcomers as they walked with slow, deliberate steps. The corners of his mouth curled into a slight smile as he spoke softly.
"...They're here."
Like withered wood blooming once more after being watered by the Golden Cup—the Longbottoms had returned!
The couple was being carefully supported by their son, who had grown tall and sturdy. Though they were thin, looking as if a strong gust of wind might blow them away, their postures were upright and their steps were steady. Their faces, graced with gentle smiles, shone with the light of sanity and a resilient spirit.
They were more dazzling than the gilded hall of the courtroom itself.
"—It's... it's the Longbottoms!!"
"Merlin's beard! How is this possible?! Weren't they... weren't they insane?!"
"Could they have been cured? But I remember even St. Mungo's was helpless!"
Before the Longbottoms could even reach the center of the room, a black shadow swept down from the stands like a whirlwind! With a whoosh, Sirius Black pulled them into a crushing embrace.
"I can't believe it... I never thought I'd see the day I could talk to you again!" Sirius held them tightly. When he looked up, his face was flushed, and his eyes shimmered with tears of reunion. "Heaven knows, when I was in prison and heard you were captured, I—I—!"
"Sorry we're late," the Longbottoms replied with gentle smiles.
Their eyes also shimmered with tears as they looked at their companion who had also suffered so much. The past days had been bleak and filled with hardship, but thankfully, the light had finally broken through.
"Sirius, let them go," Lupin said with a wide grin as he stepped down from the dais. "Do you want our friends to go right back to St. Mungo's on the day they were discharged?"
"Oh! Right!" Sirius hurriedly released his grip.
Beside them, Neville finally breathed a sigh of relief. He quietly shifted his feet to stand in front of his parents, watching Sirius with a nervous, protective eye.
"Merlin, I must be dreaming..." Arthur Weasley stood there with his mouth agape, ignoring the lingering pain in his body. He stared blankly at the two familiar faces he hadn't seen in so long. After a long while, his nose wrinkled, and he let out a slightly foolish-looking smile, muttering over and over, "It's good to have you back... just good to have you back..."
For a moment, the courtroom fell silent.
The old comrades looked at one another, words failing them as if they had crossed through time to meet again. The atmosphere was so poignant that even those who didn't know the full story couldn't help but wipe away tears.
Several minutes later, Minister Scrimgeour finally snapped out of it. Realizing the implications, his face turned deathly pale. He pointed a trembling finger at the Longbottoms and asked, "You're not saying... the reason they recovered their sanity is—"
"Exactly."
Mrs. Longbottom gave him a disdainful side-eye. She raised her voice so that everyone in the room could hear her clearly.
"It was our hero, Ethan Vincent, who retrieved the sacred relic—Hufflepuff's Cup—from the vault of a Dark Wizard in Gringotts!"
"And with selfless generosity, he gave it to my grandson, Neville, so that its magical power could be used to cure my son and daughter-in-law in one fell swoop!"
"All of this is thanks to Ethan Vincent!!!"
The room erupted into an absolute uproar!
Connie Rosier's eyes widened in shock. She murmured, "Ethan broke into Gringotts... just to get a sacred relic to save people...!"
"It wasn't because he simply wanted to blow it up; he had deep foresight! It was all for his comrades!"
This massive revelation struck Connie's heart like a speeding arrow.
Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
She could hear her heart racing, drumming against her chest. With every beat, her cheeks grew hotter. Like spring water pouring over a withered rose, her emotions blossomed rapidly.
Her chest heaved as she whispered, "I understand now... Ethan didn't destroy those buildings out of a desire for chaos or destruction."
"He did it to save people, to heal war heroes who had been devastated by Dark Wizards!"
Connie's voice trembled. Her eyes lit up, her breathing grew shallow, and her heart soared. She cast a deep look at Minister Scrimgeour—the man she had once viewed as a "pillar of justice"—and then firmly shifted her gaze away.
She looked at Ethan with an intensity even more fervent than before, as if she were looking at her own "God."
If a 'bad guy' can do what even the 'good guys' couldn't... then I would rather follow this 'bad guy' to the very depths of hell.
To cure patients that St. Mungo's couldn't help for over a decade... could the Minister of Magic ever do that?
Connie sighed with emotion. "I was wrong, Miss Lovegood. Thank you for bringing me here and correcting my grave mistake."
"The depth of Ethan's mind is far beyond what we mere mortals can fathom. Every seemingly 'inhuman' step he takes is part of an incredibly profound plan!"
And for them, all they had to do was follow Ethan unswervingly and become his strength.
[Congratulations! You have gained Inspiration: Heart of the French Rose]
[Heart of the French Rose: An exotic flower transplanted to Britain, protecting itself with sharp thorns until it met you—only then did it surrender its unique, deeply veiled, and tender core. Even if the sunlight does not shine on it alone.]
Hmm? Why did inspiration suddenly pop up?
Ethan raised an eyebrow, looking at the vivid, dripping rose that manifested before his eyes. His gaze shifted upward, meeting the fiery stare coming from the spectator seats.
Connie: Oh, oh ho ho! I made eye contact with my idol!
That burning expression looked as if she might pounce on him at any second to "vent" her excitement.
Ethan: "..."
A boy really needs to protect himself when he's out in public.
Fortunately, Luna, who was sitting next to Connie, seemed to "accidentally" trip the overly excited Auror. Connie hit the floor with a heavy thud, looking dazed and unable to get up for a good while.
"Phew."
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the pressure on him lighten slightly. He turned his head toward the sweating Minister Scrimgeour and smiled.
"Who would have thought that the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, one of the four founders of Hogwarts, was actually hidden in a Death Eater's vault in Gringotts?"
"How magical. Don't you think so, Minister Scrimgeour?"
Now, care to guess who the pressure is on?
Scrimgeour: "..."
Minister Scrimgeour: If I declare you innocent, will you please just leave me alone?
Ethan tilted his head. "Innocent? It sounds like Minister Scrimgeour really wants to be on tomorrow's front page."
Scrimgeour: "...Whimper QAQ"
The man who was supposed to be as hard and resilient as steel looked like he was about to burst into tears.
In the end, under the predatory, hyena-like gaze of the reporters and a crowd that clearly signaled "You better watch what you say, buddy," Minister Scrimgeour delivered the following verdict:
"I hereby declare that all charges against Mr. Ethan Vincent are dropped! Furthermore, we commend him for his outstanding contributions to the wizarding world."
"He exposed the sinister plots within Gringotts and successfully prevented a mass breakout of prisoners from Azkaban."
"Ethan Vincent is hereby awarded a Contribution Prize of 6,000 Galleons."
"All personal restrictions are lifted, and he is specially appointed as a Senior Investigator for the Ministry of Magic, with the authority to dispatch Aurors to track down Dark Wizards and maintain the stability of the wizarding world!"
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